Background: Risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) has been shown to be efficacious, improve compliance, and increase long-term retention rate on therapy. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of RLAI on clinical outcome and hospitalization rate in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder enrolled in the electronic Schizophrenia Treatment Adherence Registry in Latin America. Methods: Data were collected at baseline, retrospectively for the 12 months prior to baseline, and prospectively every three months for 24 months. Hospitalization prior to therapy was assessed by a retrospective chart review. Efficacy and functioning were evaluated using Clinical Global Impression of Illness Severity (CGI-S), Personal and Social Performance (PSP), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores. Relapse and treatment were also registered. Results: Patients were recruited in Mexico (n = 53), Brazil (n = 11), and Colombia (n = 15). Sixty-five percent (n = 52) were male, and mean age was 32.9 years. Patients were classified as having schizophrenia (n = 73) or schizoaffective disorder (n = 6). The mean dose of RLAI at six months was 34.1 mg (standard deviation = 10.2 mg). The percentage of hospitalized patients before treatment was 28.2% and 5.1% at six months after initiating RLAI (P < 0.001). Significant changes were registered on CGI-S...

Background: Previous data indicate a beneficial effect of cabergoline (CAB) association to somatostatin analogs (SA) in acromegalics resistant to SA monotherapy. Objective: To assess the efficacy of CAB association on acromegalics with high IGF-I on stable long-acting release octreotide (OCT-LAR) (30 mg/28 days). Design, Subjects and Methods: 34 patients (17 male, 25-85 years, 33 macroadenomas) were enrolled in this prospective study. OCT-LAR was administered as primary (n = 4) and as secondary (n = 30) treatment: after surgery (n = 16), after surgery + radiotherapy (RT) (n = 11), and after RT only (n = 3). Duration of OCT-LAR therapy prior to CAB was 24 8 12 months. The immunohistochemical features of the tumors disclosed GH/PRL co-secretion in 11/21 patients. 13 patients had high PRL levels prior to CAB. The initial CAB dose was 1.5 mg/week. No IGF-I normalization led to a dose increase to 3.5 mg/week. The OCT-LAR dose was kept stable during treatment. IGF-I, GH and PRL levels were compared before and after CAB association. OCT-LAR was withdrawn in patients who achieved IGF-I normalization, in order to assess the influence of CAB. Results: Comparing OCT-LAR to OCT-LAR/CAB treatment, there was a significant decrease in mean GH, IGF-I...

The aim of this work was to prepare the mares for embryo transfer. In group 1 (G1,treated, n=15), recipient mares in anoestrus or in a transition period were treated with 5.0, 3.0 and 2.0 mg of estradiol cipionate at the days 0, 1 and 2 respectively, beginning at the day of ovulation (DO). From the fourth day on, the mares this group received long-acting progesterone weekly, up to the 120 day of gestation. At D8, the embryo was collected from the donor and transferred to the recipient. At D12, the ultrasonographyc diagnosis of pregnancy was carried out. The control group (G2, not treated, n=20) was formed by cycling recipient mares, displaying ovulation at each 2 to 3 days after the donors mare ovulation. The pregnancy rate was higher (p<0.05) in the mares from G2 (85.0%) than from G1 (53.3%). Thus, it could be concluded that the treated mares although showed lesser pregnancy rate than the cycling mare, were satisfactory alternative to be used mainly when there is no available cycling recipient.

Background: Claims data are potentially useful for identifying long-acting β-agonist (LABA) use by patients with asthma, a practice that is associated with increased mortality. We evaluated the accuracy of claims data for classifying prevalent asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among initiators of LABAs. Methods: This study included adult LABA initiators during 2005–2008 in a US commercial health plan. Diagnosis codes from the 6 months before LABA initiation identified potential asthma or COPD and a physician adjudicated case status using abstracted medical records. We estimated the positive predictive value (PPV) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of covariate patterns for identifying asthma and COPD. Results: We sought 520 medical records at random from 225,079 LABA initiators and received 370 (71%). The PPV for at least one asthma claim was 74% (CI 63–82), and decreased as age increased. Having at least one COPD claim resulted in a PPV of 82% (CI 72–89), and of over 90% among older patients, men, and recipients of inhaled anticholinergic drugs. Only 2% (CI 0.2–7.6) of patients with a claim for COPD alone were found to have both COPD and asthma, while 9% (CI 4–16) had asthma only. Twenty-one percent (CI 14–30) of patients with claims for both diagnoses had both conditions. Among patients with no asthma or COPD claims...

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) has an idiosyncratic form of late-acting self-incompatibility that operates through the non-fusion of incompatible gametes. Here, we used high-resolution confocal microscopy to define fine level changes to the embryo sac of the strongly selfincompatible cocoa genotype SCA 24 in the absence of pollination, and following compatible and incompatible pollination. All sperm nuclei had fused with the female nuclei by 48 h following compatible pollinations. However, following incompatible pollinations, we observed divergence in the behaviour of sperm nuclei following release into the embryo sac. Incomplete sperm nucleus migration occurred in approximately half of the embryo sacs, where the sperm nuclei had so far failed to reach the female gamete nuclei. Sperm nuclei reached but did not fuse with the female gamete nuclei in the residual cases. We argue that the cellular mechanisms governing sperm nucleus migration to the egg nucleus and those controlling subsequent nuclear fusion are likely to differ and should be considered independently. Accordingly, we recommend that future efforts to characterise the genetic basis of LSI in cocoa should take care to differentiate between these two events, both of which contribute to failed karyogamy. Implications of these results for continuing efforts to gain better understanding of the genetic control of LSI in cocoa are discussed.; Caroline S. Ford and Mike J. Wilkinson

Although harmful command hallucinations have been linked to violent behavior, few studies have examined factors mediating this relationship. The principal aim of this study was to examine a range of factors potentially associated with acting on harmful co

PIP: A program of the World Health Organization for developing long-acting esters of testosterone that would exhibit a more constant release rate and maintain testosterone levels in the normal range longer than testosterone enanthate found that these esters had a role in fertility, and gerontology. The synthesis of 13 new esters of testosterone is described, with the esterifying acids bearing acetylenic, olefinic or polyunsaturated functions in the chain, for evaluation as long-acting androgens. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images were recorded on a spectrometer. The samples were recorded in tubes using CDC13 as solvent. The NMR spectra were recorded with Perkin-Elmer instrument in CDC13, with tetramethylsilane as internal reference. Infrared spectra were measured on the same spectrometer. Mass spectra were also recorded. Thin-layer chromatography was performed on Merck silica gel and the spray reagent was iodine or vanillin. To a solution of testosterone the corresponding acid chloride was added yielding the pure ester after the usual work-up. E-5-methylhexa-2,4-dienoic (IXb), 5- phenylpenta-2-,4-dienoic (Xb), 5-phenyl-4-yn-pent-2-enoic (XIb), and non-4-en-6-ynoic acid (XIIb), were required for the synthesis. Esterification of testosterone with each of the first 12 unsaturated acids was performed by reaction with the corresponding acid chlorides in pyridine. Although the nona-2...

In this study, the foundations of long-acting antipsychotics development, the adherence to treatment, the factors that make difficult the following of the prescription and their consequences, the benefits and acceptance of long-acting antipsychotics are revised. Based on the data obtained from the first part of this study, the following issues must be highlighted: the non-adherence treatment level in schizophrenia is about 60%. Considering schizophrenia a chronic disease with high relapse risk, the maintenance treatment helps its control. The long-acting antipsychotics were developed exactly for the purpose of guaranteeing the administration of the medication and its regularity, which are essential requirements in preventing a relapse. In spite of the immensurable benefits of the long-acting antipsychotics, several factors have contributed to their usage below their potential.; En este trabajo revisamos los fundamentos del desarrollo de los antisicóticos de acción prolongada, la adherencia al tratamiento, factores que dificultan el seguimiento de la prescripción y sus consecuencias, así como sus beneficios y aceptación. A partir de los datos de esta primera parte del trabajo, el siguiente punto necesita ser destacado: la tasa de no-adherencia al tratamiento en esquizofrenia está alrededor de 60%. Por tratarse de una enfermedad crónica...

Among various topics, this second part addresses indication and beginning of treatment, dose inter-individual variability and interval between injections, appointment frequency and special strategies during treatment relapse. Considering that poor adherence to antipsychotic treatment is a major factor in schizophrenic relapse, that the new generation of antipsychotic drugs, despite lower incidence of extrapyramidal side effects and better overall tolerability, did not change this condition in relation to conventional drugs and in view of the superiority of depot antipsychotics in comparison with conventional ones administered orally, the long-acting formulation of new generation antipsychotics can certainly improve the adherence and regularity of the medication regimen and decrease relapse rates in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, family participation in treatment is of great importance, as well as the attitude and integration of the medical team in realizing different tasks.; En esta segunda parte se tratan, entre los diversos tópicos, la indicación y el inicio del tratamiento, la variación individual en la dosis y el intervalo entre las administraciones, la frecuencia de las consultas y estrategias en la recaída durante la vigencia del tratamiento. Considerándose que la baja adherencia al tratamiento es uno de los principales factores en la manifestación de la exacerbación de la sintomatología...